Prepare for New England Patriots Hype, And Ignore It
The New England Patriots are a premium brand, and it is always just assumed that they will be a huge threat. Bill Belichick and company have taken a huge hit…
The New England Patriots are a premium brand, and it is always just assumed that they will be a huge threat. Bill Belichick and company have taken a huge hit since Tom Brady exited the building. Here are some things to make you feel better as we start the first Philadelphia Eagles game week of 2023!
1. Foxborough is no longer a house of horrors!
Since Tom Brady left, the Patriots have been very mediocre 18-15 at Gillette Stadium. They are 13-12 the last three seasons. This isn’t an intimidating place to play. Don’t let people fool you into thinking the Eagles are walking into a minefield here.
2. Nick Sirianni knows how to win on the road.
The Eagles are 13-4 in road games under the Sirianni regime. Last season, they were 7-1 and unbeaten with Jalen Hurts under center. They have most certainly looked focused and ready in every hostile environment.
3. The New England Patriots have lost their home opener the last two seasons.
Don’t be scared of being there for the home opener. The Patriots lost in lopsided fashion to the Baltimore Ravens 37-26 in 2022. They lost a heartbreaker to the Miami Dolphins 17-16 in 2021.
4. The slow starts at home post-Brady seem to last a while.
The Patriots have a very mediocre record in their first four home games in the previous three seasons. They started out 2-2 at home in 2020 and 1-3 in 2021 and 2022. That’s a 4-8 mark in the first half of their home schedule in a three-season sample size. They lost their first four home games in 2021!
5. The Eagles franchise has a winning record against the Patriots.
The Birds have a record of 7-6 all-time vs. New England. A few of the veterans like Jason Kelce and Brandon Graham have experience winning the biggest game in franchise history against them too! This isn’t a Brady-era threat.
6. The Patriots are expected to be quite average.
The New England over/under projected betting win total is 7.5.
The Patriots are projected to finish last in the AFC East, which may be the best division in the NFL. Buffalo, Miami and the offseason darling New York Jets all have higher projected win totals.
I’ve already placed my UNDER 7.5 wins bet on the BetParx App!
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Philadelphia Eagles projected Week 1 starters include three newcomers on defense, one on offense, and three younger players stepping into starting roles for the first time.
The defending NFC champs will travel to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots to kick off the 2023 NFL season.
2023 Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts returns as the starting quarterback after a breakout season landed him second in MVP voting behind only Patrick Mahomes. Philadelphia’s franchise quarterback signed a lucrative $255 million contract extension this offseason.
Nick Sirianni will enter his third season as head coach. He inherited a 4-11-1 team and took them to the playoffs with a 9-8 record in 2021. The drastic improvement continued in his second season on the sidelines at Lincoln Financial Field when the Eagles finished 14-3.
General manager Howie Roseman has built a reputation as one of the best executives in the NFL. He also continued to stock the cupboard with talent in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the selection of University of Georgia standouts Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith.
Philadelphia Eagles Projected Week 1 Starters
Hurts leads an offensive attack that finished third in the NFL in points scored in 2022. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert also return as his three strongest weapons in the passing game. Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson have at least one more run together as the anchors of a stout offensive line.
Philadelphia native D’Andre Swift will likely join the starting lineup in Week 1 as the only newcomer. Cam Jurgens will move into a starting role as the right guard.
On defense, veterans Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham hope to bring the city another moment of glory before the end of their respective careers in midnight green. Second-year players Nakobe Dean and Reed Blankenship will both play full-time starting roles for the first time. Carter, Terrell Edmunds, and Zach Cunningham will likely crack the starting lineup on opening day.
The defense under new coordinator Sean Desai will feature multiple packages and rotating personnel. One look will be a traditional 4-3 base.
Jalen Hurts
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesQuarterback, #1
Oklahoma University/University of Alabama
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (53rd overall) in 2020
D'Andre Swift
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesRunning Back, #0
University of Georgia
4th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Detroit Lions (April 2023)
A.J. Brown
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #11
Ole Miss
5th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Tennessee Titans (April 2022)
DeVonta Smith
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #6
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (10th overall) in 2021
Quez Watkins
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty ImagesWide Receiver, #16
Southern Miss
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (200th overall) in 2020
Dallas Goedert
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesTight End, #88
South Dakota State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (48th overall) in 2018
Jordan Mailata
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesLeft Tackle, #68
Jeff Stoutland University
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 7th Round (233rd overall) in 2018
Landon Dickerson
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesLeft Guard, #69
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (37th overall) in 2021
Jason Kelce
Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty ImagesCenter, #62
University of Cincinnati
13th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (191st overall) in 2011
Cam Jurgens
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesRight Guard, #51
University of Nebraska
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (51st overall) in 2022
Lane Johnson
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesRight Tackle, #65
Oklahoma University
11th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (4th overall) in 2013
Brandon Graham
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Defensive End, #55
University of Michigan
14th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2010
Fletcher Cox
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesDefensive Tackle, #91
Mississippi State
12th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (12th overall) in 2012
Jordan Davis
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty ImagesDefensive Tackle, #90
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2022
Josh Sweat
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesDefensive End, #94
Florida State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 4th Round (130th overall) in 2018
Haason Reddick
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesEdge Rusher/Linebacker, #7
Temple University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2022)
Nakobe Dean
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty ImagesLinebacker, #17
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 3rd Round (83rd overall) in 2022
Zach Cunningham
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesLinebacker, #52
Vanderbilt University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (August 2023)
Darius Slay
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesCornerback, #2
Mississippi State University
11th NFL Season- Acquired in trade from Detroit Lions (March 2020)
James Bradberry
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesCornerback, #24
University of Arkansas/Samford University
8th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (May 2022)
Reed Blankenship
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesSafety, #32
Middle Tennessee State
2nd NFL Season- Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2022)
Terrell Edmunds
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty ImagesSafety, #26
Virginia Tech
6th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2023)
